_________________ bellmore ________________
HERALD Rotary gives back to veterans
Author discusses Jewish pride
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Vol. 29 No. 23
JUNE 4 - 10, 2026
$1.00
GUS LAFKAS
LICENSED ASSOCIATE REAL ESTATE BROKER
OVER 25 YEARS OF EXP ERIENCE
COMPLIMENTARY HO
ME VALUATION
2300 MERRICK ROAD ����� 516-623-2771 • , MERRICK, NY 11566 ������ 516-445-0657 gus.lafkas@elliman.com Residential/Commercia l
Empire Games help recruit future firefighters breathing apparatuses, hose handling and search-and-rescue techniques. The program Students from two high culminated in a series of chalschools in the Bellmore-Mer- lenges designed to simulate the rick Central High School Dis- physical and mental demands trict tested their strength, firefighters face during emerteamwork and composure in gencies. May during the third annual B e fo re t h e c o m p e t i t i o n Empire Games, a local recruit- began, Calhoun students parment initiative to ticipated in a twoaddress the decline d ay f i t n e s s a n d in volunteer firerecruitment chalfighters. lenge at the school The competition that served as a brought together 40 qualifier for the students from SanEmpire Games. ford H. Calhoun According to CalHigh School and houn Assistant John F. Kennedy P r i n c i p a l M a rk High School to M e l ko n i a n , s t u lear n the fundad e n t s n av i g a t e d m e n t a l s o f f i re agility ladders, f i g h t i n g w h i l e RyAN CASSiDy completed push-up exploring volunteer Empire Hose stations, crawled service opportuni- Company 3, Captain through a darkened ties in their comobstacle maze and munity. Empire Hose Company perfor med a rescue dummy 3 of the Merrick Fire Depart- drag alongside a fire engine. ment came up with the idea for Top performers advanced to the games, held between May 7 represent the school in the and 21. competition. Over the course of three The Empire Games was first nights, students participated in introduced in 2024 as a unique hands-on training exercises recruiting ef for t aimed at that introduced them to core younger residents. Organizers firefighting skills, including said the event was created in donning and removing turnout Continued on page 2 gear, operating self-contained
By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
W
Erik Lee/Herald
Champion Cougars! Kennedy’s Derek Yormack celebrates after the Cougars won their first county baseball title, defeating Garden City 4-3 for the Class AA crown last Sunday. Story, more photos, Page 6.
Blood drive coming this Saturday
Local groups band together to save lives at Post 1282 By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
American Legion Post 1282 and the Merrick Kiwanis Club found a way to share their interests in life-saving action and neighborly community service: donating blood. The two organizations are hosting a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center, a nonprofit that works with medical facilities across the state. The drive will be held on June 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 160 West Merrick Road. Donors must be 17 or older and require an ID to participate. Vice presidential nominee Neil O’Keeffe, a
member of the Merrick Kiwanis Club, took the initiative to bring this opportunity into existence. O’Keeffe, a former NYPD officer specializing in counterterrorism, has years of experience in protecting the health of his community. “I was looking for a partner for the blood drive, and I know the American Legion does a lot for the community,” he said. O’Keeffe moved to Merrick decades ago. He quickly heard about the Kiwanis Club and what community service opportunities it offers. “It’s really great what they do for children,” he said. “They raise a ton of money, they send underprivileged kids to Camp Kiwanis in upstate New Continued on page 10
hat we saw over the past three weeks was a new generation stepping up.